Burke, Fairfax Station, Springfield and Mount Vernon: Describe your ideal Valentine's Day Date
Sev Kerat, senior at South County High School, Springfield resident: “We’d go ice skating, or something else active to move about and set the mood. Doing an activity makes me feel relieved instead of uptight.”
Sixth Friends of Sadie Blood Drive in Burke Draws More Than 200 Donors
For the sixth year in a row, Burke resident Amy Dozier celebrated Valentine’s Day by helping manage a blood drive. Her daughter Madeline, barely a tween for the first Friends of Sadie drive in 2010, is now a 16-year-old sophomore at Robinson Secondary School. She’s old enough to drive and old enough to donate blood for the first time.
Uber prominent at state Sens. Marsden and Saslaw joint town hall in Falls Church.
Though over a dozen taxicabs sat in the parking lot of Sleepy Hollow Elementary School, inside it was clear everyone drove themselves.
Matthew Charged In West Potomac Alumna Hannah Graham Murder
Suspect faces life in prison.
Nearly five months after the disappearance of University of Virginia sophomore and West Potomac High School alumna Hannah Graham, the primary suspect in her death investigation has been indicted by a grand jury in Albemarle County.
Combining Health and Mental Health
Community Services Board provides emergency services, prevention and treatment.
One teenager who attempted suicide revealed that if anyone had asked him beforehand whether he was thinking of hurting himself, he would have said yes.
Fairfax County Judge Orders More John Geer Materials Released
Family’s lawyer’s motions supported.
Though extensive, the thousands of pages of documents, dozens of audio files and handful of videos released last month by Fairfax County, documenting the shooting death of Springfield resident John Geer, aren’t exhaustive.
Letter: Failing in Their Duties
Letter to the Editor
I applaud your editorial on the Geer murder (“No Justification for Secrecy, Delay on Geer Shooting,” Connection, February 4-10, 2015). The Connection has done yeoman’s work in keeping this tragedy in front of the public, unlike other newspapers which are johnnie-come-latelies.
Editorial: Not the First or Only Time
Secrecy around police shootings has been a problem for at least a decade.
The official position of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on the need for changes in policy after the shooting of John Geer by police in Springfield in August of 2013 appears to be that this is the first time police policies have been a problem: “Policies for handling police-involved incidents, which served us well for decades, were inadequate in this complicated situation.”
Column: ‘Scantsy’
It’s becoming increasingly difficult to characterize the feelings I regularly experience during the final few weeks leading up to my every-three-month CT Scan, and even more so the feelings I experience waiting the following week or so to see my oncologist to discuss the results.
Fairfax: Young, Burda Lead Robinson Gymnastics to Conference 5 Title
Rams win second straight championship, third in four years.
Robinson gymnastics repeats as Conference 5 champions.
Commentary: Donate to Those Less Fortunate During National Canned Food Month
It seems that as the memories of the holiday season fade away, so does our urgency to give. Many of us return to our daily routines, and we seem to forget that our neighbors continue to struggle to provide meals for their families. And although many continue to be in need after the holiday season, food donations drop and our food banks face shortages.
Facets Helps People Come in from the Cold
Hypothermia program gives shelter this winter.
People experiencing homelessness arrived in groups on Tuesday, Jan. 13 at Pender United Methodist Church in Fairfax for a hot meal and a warm place to sleep for the night. When they leave the next day, they will have their clothes cleaned and washed and a bag lunch for the day.
The Chocolate Vendors
Chocolate Vendors
Meals for Young Minds
The Chocolate Lovers Festival Committee is again supporting the Fairfax Kiwanis Meals for Young Minds Program with multiple, food drop-off locations during the festival. This program provides meals to local, elementary-school students who don’t have food to eat on the weekends.
Virginia Opera's Special Gift for Valentine's Weekend
“Salome” at George Mason University Center for the Arts.
Salome, a name that conjures unforgettable impressions: passion, desire, murder. The opera "Salome" is based upon a once shocking Oscar Wilde literary work. This Valentine's weekend the Virginia Opera is presenting a production about how love's obsession in the wrong hands can lead to the most unfortunate, unforeseen consequences.
Chocolate Cookbook and Valentine
It’s always fun to bring home souvenirs from the Chocolate Festival, and two of them are the official, Chocolate Lovers Festival Cookbook and the annual, commemorative Valentine.
‘It’s Such a Good Fit’
Naomi Project joins Our Daily Bread to help struggling mothers.
For the past 19 years, the nonprofit Naomi Project of Northern Virginia has worked with high-risk, pregnant women and new mothers to help them have healthy pregnancies and babies. It’s now become a program of the nonprofit Our Daily Bread (ODB) and, on Jan. 22, the two groups celebrated their union. “It’s a natural offshoot of what we’re already doing with moms,” said ODB spokeswoman Heather Webb. “This is another way that we can help them build families and get on a better financial footing.”
Pancakes, Candy, Fudge, Ice Cream and More
Fairfax Chocolate Lovers Festival is Feb. 7-8.
Get your sweet tooth ready – the 23rd annual City of Fairfax Chocolate Lovers Festival is this weekend, Feb. 7-8. Featuring delicious, chocolate fun for both children and adults, the event includes a Taste of Chocolate, a Chocolate Challenge, musical performances, a chocolate movie – “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” – fairy tales, a fire-safety puppet show, face-painting, a Chocolate Caper mock trial, cupcake-decorating, magic, juggling and open houses in historic buildings.
Del. Filler-Corn’s ‘CARE Act’ Passes the House
Del. Eileen Filler-Corn’s (D–41) HB 1413 passed the full House of Delegates on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2015. HB 1413 or the “CARE Act” addresses the important role of the informal and family caregivers and improved communication with them and medical providers. Specifically, the bill looks to improve healthcare and reduce preventable hospital revisits by having hospitals formally acknowledge a patient’s family caregiver at the time of admission and provide critical home care instruction before discharge.
Del. David Bulova and Sen. Chap Petersen Hold Town Hall in Fairfax
Over 100 constituents and community members attended the annual joint town hall meeting held Jan. 31 by Del. David Bulova (D-37) and State Sen. Chap Petersen (D-34).